Disc brakes



1967 G. DE coYE DE CASTELET 3,299,991

DISC BRAKES 4 SheetsSheet 1 Filed Oct. 5, 1964 Im/en or 5 0 lei Mm; haw/Mk. 40 0 rne s Jan. 24, 1967 6. DE COYE DE CASTELET 3, 9

msc BRAKES Filed Oct. 5, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 |llllllll IIllI l m/anz c-r' G el -2,157) De CoYe Da C a: va/e iar on lays;

1967 G. DE COYE DE CASTELET 3,299,991

DISC BRAKES Filed Oct. 5, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Jan. 24, 1967 3,299,991 DISC BRAKES Gaetan de Coye de Castelet, Billancourt, France, assignor to Regie Nationale des Usines Renault, Biliancourt,

France Filed Oct. 5, 1964, Ser. No. 401,353 Claims priority, application France, Oct. 8, 1963, 949,995, Patent 1,379,032 1 Claim. (Cl. 188-73) This invention relates to disc brakes, more particularly though not exclusively applicable to motor vehicles, of the type in which a stirrup carrying one or more hydraulic pistons acting only on one side of the disc, or hydraulic pistons acting on both sides thereof, is neither secured, pivotally connected, nor rigidly guided but merely set into its support with a degree of clearance, such an arrangement being generally known as a floating stirrup.

With such an arrangement, the stirrup, when not in use, necessarily possesses a degree of free sideway movement relative to the disc. This can result in oscillation about an axis parallel to the disc chord along which the linings are aligned, and this oscillation can give rise to noise-generating vibration when the vehicle is running over poorly surfaced roads.

It is the object of the present invention to overcome this drawback and accordingly consists in preventing this undesirable oscillation of the stirrup while at the same time leaving it free to move perpendicularly to the disc. This is achieved by connecting the stirrup to a fixed point, by means either of a piece of spring-steelplate arranged substantially parallel to the plane containing the disc, or of a damper arranged so that it sustains maximum elongation when the stirrup rotates.

Three possible embodiments of the invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front view of a floating stirrup equipped with the subject anti-noise device of the invention, executed in spring-steelplate;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation view of the floating stirrup of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 shows the floating stirrup of FIGURES 1 and 2, but with an alternative method of anchoring said steelplate to the fixed point;

FIGURE 4 is a front elevation view of the same floating stirrup equipped with the subject anti-noise device of this invention, executed with the aid of a damper; and

FIGURE 5 is a side elevation view, in fragmental section along the line VV of FIGURE 4, of the floating stirrup of FIGURE 4.

In the specific examples illustrated in the figures recited above, the stirrup comprises a single cylinder operating on one side only of the disc, but it will be manifest that it could comprise a plurality of cylinders.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing, reference numeral 1 designates the stirrup which is retained in the support 2 by means of mobile parts 3 bearing against the stirrup through the medium of deformable anti-noise elements 4.

The mobile part or U-link 3 is here shown to be pivoted at 5 and to have been turned down and locked with a pin 6, though it is to be understood that it would by no means be departing from the scope of the invention to adopt any other convenient method permitting correct locating and restraining of the stirrup.

The anti-noise device according to the invention shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 consists of a spring-steelplate 7 substantially parallel to the disc plane and which is connected between the stirrup and a fixed point. The attachment points to the stirrup may be made at two anchoring points available at 8 and 9, of which the former is also the handbrake adjustment screw and the latter the threaded extremity of the anti-backing device securing shaft.

Clearly, the plate 7 may be attached to the stirrup at one point only.

The fixed point 10 may be one of the studs used to assemble the fixed portion of the brake, for example. The anti-noise device 7 is then secured to this stud through the medium of a distance piece 11, a washer 12 and a nut 13.

Reference to FIGURE 2 clearly shows that the antinoise device disclosed hereinabove effectively prevents any rotation of the stirrup about an axis xy/xy parallel to the disc chord along which the brake linings are aligned, yet does not prevent stirrup movement perpendicular to the disc, which is necessary for brake operation.

Referring next to FIGURE 3, there is shown thereon an alternative arrangement for the attachment point of plate 7 to the fixed point 10. The plate 7 is welded to a tube-shaped piece 14 containing a resilient-block 15 restrained by two heels 16. This resilient-block assembly is a sliding fit over the smooth end 17 of the stud 10, which is designed accordingly.

This particular disposition has the advantage over the former arrangement described of enabling the plate 7 to move parallel with itself and to thereby automatically compensate for wear on the lining located on the disc side remote from the hydraulic piston, it is unnecessary, however, when there are pistons operating on both sides of the disc.

Reference is lastly had to FIGURES 4 and 5 for an exemplary illustration of an anti-noise device according to the invention, executed with the aid of a damper. This damper 18, which may be of any type well known per se, is connected between the stirrup, at a point 9 say, and the fixed point 10. These two attachments are made with the aid of intermediate parts 19 and 20, each of which is provided with a clevis into which are pivotally connected the end tongues terminating the damper cylinder and plunger.

It will readily be appreciated that the damper 18 0pposes any rocking motion about the axis xy/xy defined precedingly yet does not hinder stirrup motion perpendicular to the disc.

While there has been shown and described, the presently preferred embodiments of the floating disc-brake stirrup of this invention, it will be readily understood that various changes and modifications may be made in these embodiments. It is, therefore, to be understood that the description hereinbefore set forth is not to be considered a limitation of the invention, but that changes may be made within the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A disc-type brake structure used to brake rotary wheels in which a brake stirrup straddles a disc which is integrally connected to a rotary wheel suitably mounted on a wheel-supporting structure, said stirrup comprising brake linings adapted to press against opposite sides of said disc, said stirrup being seated upon guide elements which allow sidewise and oscillating movements relative to the disc, means adapted to prevent said stirrup from rocking about an axis parallel to a chord of the disc along which the linings are aligned, said means comprising a springsteel plate mounted substantially parallel to the disc plane and having at least one attachment point on the stirrup and one attachment point on the wheel-supporting structure, a tube-shaped piece mounted on the end of said steel plate adjacent the wheel-supporting structure, a resilient block mounted in said tube shaped piece forming an assembly therewith, said assembly being slidingly fitted over a stud fixing the spring-steel plate on the wheel-sup- 3,299,991 3 4- porting structure, whereby the translation movement of FOREIGN PATENTS the stump 1s perrmtted and a rotatlon movement about 1,286,818 1/1962 France Sald lsprevented' 1,345,576 10/1963 France.

References Cited by the Examiner 5 926992 5/ 1963 Great Britain UNITED STATES PATENTS MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner. 3,109,518 11/1963 Chousings 188-73 I 3 1 1 54 5 19 5 Paras 1 3 1 G. E. A. HALVOSA, ASSZSZGIII Examiner.

3,231,051 1/1966 Harrison 188-73 

